Evolution and Emerging Hotspots in Continuous Labor Support: A CiteSpace-based Bibliometric Study
Background: Continuous labor support (CLS)—provided by midwives, doulas, or birth companions—is universally recognized as a core component of high-quality intrapartum care. Despite growing clinical evidence, a macroscopic and quantitative evaluation of the global research landscape, collaborative networks, and thematic evolution in CLS remains lacking. Objective: This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric and visual analysis of global CLS research from 2005 to 2025 to map its intellectual structure, developmental trajectories, and emerging hotspots. Methods: Publications related to CLS between 2005 and 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). CiteSpace was utilized to perform network visualizations, including annual publication trends, co-authorship (authors and countries/regions), keyword co-occurrence, cluster analysis, and timeline evolution. Results: Annual publication volume exhibited a steady upward trend, peaking at 106 articles in 2025. China and the USA were the predominant country contributors, while authors such as Meghan A. Bohren and Declan Devane occupied core positions in the author network. However, low network densities among authors (0.0042) and countries (0.0313) reflected relatively dispersed international collaboration. Keyword cluster analysis identified 10 major thematic clusters (Modularity Q = 0.8757, Mean Silhouette S = 0.8515), with “#0 doula” being the largest cluster. High-frequency keywords (childbirth, women, labor, care) highlighted a strong focus on woman-centered intrapartum management. The timeline visualization revealed a clear paradigm shift: moving from foundational randomized clinical trials and psychological support (2005–2018) toward data-driven intelligent monitoring, artificial intelligence, and predictive modeling (2019–2025). Conclusion: Global research on continuous labor support has expanded rapidly over the past two decades. The research paradigm is evolving from traditional continuous companionship toward integrating smart healthcare and AI-assisted predictive decision-making into woman-centered intrapartum care. Strengthening international interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing intelligent intrapartum monitoring represent crucial directions for future research.
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